Husband's remarks unacceptable, offensive: Melania Trump

New York, Oct 8: Describing Donald Trump's lewd remarks about groping women, shortly after his third marriage in 2005, as "unacceptable and offensive", his wife Melania Trump today exhorted the people to accept his apology, just as she has.

"The words my husband used are unacceptable and offensive to me. This does not represent the man that I know. He has the heart and mind of a leader," Trump's wife said in a rare public statement, following a video that surfaced recently in which Trump was caught on mic making extremely lewd and sexually offensive remarks against women.

Melania, Trump's wife of 11 years and a former Slovenian model, said she hopes people will accept her husband's apology "as I have, and focus on the important issues facing our nation and the world." Trump, 70, had married his third wife Melania, 46, in 2005.

He was newly married in 2005 when he spoke in an uncovered video about trying to have sex with married women and groping others without permission.

Earlier, the Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence said that he won't "condone his (Trump's) remarks and cannot defend them."

"We pray for his family and look forward to the opportunity he has to show what is in his heart when he goes before the nation tomorrow night," the Indiana governor said.

Meanwhile, Trump remained defiant in the face of the severe backlash and criticism within his own party over his remarks in the video, telling the Washington Post that he will not quit the presidential race.

PTI